The Topeka Zoo and the community on Wednesday said goodbye to a beloved animal: 24-year-old Jesse the giraffe.

Jesse was euthanized on Wednesday morning in the exhibit before the zoo opened, said communications and marketing director Suzie Gilbert. He will be cremated, she said, but many samples were collected during the necropsy for study purposes.

Jesse suffered from laminitis, a disease that causes tenderness and inflammation in the hooves, further limiting his mobility and increasing pain during the past week, according to a news release from the city.

“We carefully consider all our options and ultimately do what is in the best interest of the animal,” zoo director Brendan Wiley said in a news release. “In Jesse’s case, we saw no opportunity for improvement and his condition was greatly affecting his quality of life.”

News of Jesse’s failing health first came out March 26. Just Tuesday, the city of Topeka sent out a news release indicating the giraffe wouldn’t live longer than a few days.

Wiley said Jesse, who stood more than 16 feet tall and weighed 1,800 pounds, was a favorite at the zoo, particularly for children who would “squeal in delight” while they fed him lettuce. He has been a staple at the Topeka Zoo since he was born there in April 1990.

“This is a hard time,” Wiley said. “Jesse is special not only to the staff here, but to many people in our community as well. People grew up with him. We will miss him very much.”

During his time at the Topeka Zoo, Jesse fathered seven giraffes and even had one granddaughter born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the release states. His legacy will continue in Topeka through his daughter, Hope, who turned 4 years old on July 11. Hope has been paired with Sgt. Peppers, who was transferred from the Oklahoma City Zoo to the Topeka Zoo in October 2013.

Memorial donations can be made to the zoo’s Giraffe Conservation Fund, in care of the Topeka Zoo, 635 Gage Boulevard, Topeka, Kansas 66606.

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for following agreed-upon rules of
civility. Posts and comments do not reflect the views of this site.
Posts and comments are automatically checked for inappropriate
language, but readers might find some comments offensive or
inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the
"Flag as offensive" link below the comment.

...Robert. What will become of Jesse's carcass? Will he become a museum specimen? The people of Topeka might be able to enjoy his presence postmortem then, depending on where he's placed. Other zoos do in fact feed the carcasses of dead animals to their carnivorous species.

Will he be buried or cremated? Where will he be interred, if he is buried? Will the zoo perform a necropsy on his body?

I wonder what will become of Sunda and Tembo when they eventually perish. There is absolutely nothing sick or deranged about wanting to know the process of Jesse's disposal nor any animal the Topeka Zoo or any such facility houses.

Incidentally, I wasn't among those making snide and crass comments about Jesse's death in another thread. I have nothing to apologize for.

I lament Jesse's passing, even more so because he lived his entire life in captivity. I'm not so attached to him or any animal, however, to ignore the fact that all animals live and die and there is a means by which animal carcasses are rendered.

Jesse was euthanized on Wednesday morning in the exhibit before the zoo opened, said communications and marketing director Suzie Gilbert. He will be cremated, she said, but many samples were collected during the necropsy for study purposes.